If it opened up in Wilmington, Atwater would need 75,000 square feet for the operation and could hire between 30 and 70 employees, he said.

An Atwater official, however, said Tuesday that the brewer was “in the very early exploratory stages” of making a decision.

Atwater is not seeking to relocate operations, but rather to expand.

“We just know that we are going to outgrow our current situation in the next couple of years,” said Jason Schrider, the company's operations director. “We like the area, and have a strong relationship with our distributor,” Greg Leone of Freedom Beverage.

“We feel like we should be exploring locations outside of Detroit,” he continued. “We have really growing distribution in the East and going south,” adding that Wilmington is well-placed to serve that market.

“It has the kind of cultural environment for a brewery to thrive in.”

East Coast presence

On Monday, the mayor and Roger Johnson, a city economic development official, met with a local real estate broker and Atwater's distributor to discuss the possibility of bringing a brewery to Wilmington.

Although Saffo characterized the meeting as preliminary and fact-finding, he added that “it seems like they're pretty interested.”

Saffo said they liked the Port City's proximity to central North Carolina in addition to Virginia and South Carolina.

If Atwater opened up a facility in Wilmington, it would give the craft brewery an East Coast presence in addition to its Detroit operations, Saffo said.

At the Monday meeting, the brewery's representatives asked if Wilmington would be interested in a brewery.

“Of course I said yes,” Saffo said.

He has spoken with the mayor of Asheville about its breweries, which draw people for tastings. Atwater could also open a tap room, where people come to taste beers.

“I think it's something that would go over real well down here,” Saffo said.

Atwater's representatives were interested in sites near downtown Wilmington, the mayor said.

They asked about incentives.

“We said, ‘We don't know if you qualify,' ” Saffo said, adding that it would depend on the company's investment in the area, such as how many jobs it created.

‘White hot'

Atwater is planning a Wilmington trip June 6-8.

“We are going to come down to do a bunch of events and meet people and see some properties,” Schrider said.

Craft breweries have been “white hot,” said P.J. Doherty of Carolina Commercial Investment Properties, who is working with J. Michael Hutson – owner of J. Michael's Philly Delis – and distributor Leone on a deal to bring Atwater here.

Though the brewery has major funding, it will be looking for local, small investors, Doherty said.

Funding will affect the site chosen and whether the facility will be purchased, leased or built, he added.

“We are talking about what potential incentives may be available,” Doherty said, and the site may play a part in that as well.

And, Wilmington might have its own beers.

“Anywhere we were to go,” Schrider said, “we would be looking to make labels for our own market.”

<p><b>This is a corrected version of an earlier story</b></p><p>A Detroit-based brewery is interested in opening a beer-making and bottling operation in Wilmington.</p><p>Mayor <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/topic72"><b>Bill Saffo</b></a> confirmed Tuesday that the company, Atwater Brewery, is exploring opening in the Port City. </p><p>If it opened up in Wilmington, Atwater would need 75,000 square feet for the operation and could hire between 30 and 70 employees, he said.</p><p>An Atwater official, however, said Tuesday that the brewer was “in the very early exploratory stages” of making a decision. </p><p>Atwater is not seeking to relocate operations, but rather to expand.</p><p>“We just know that we are going to outgrow our current situation in the next couple of years,” said Jason Schrider, the company's operations director. “We like the area, and have a strong relationship with our distributor,” Greg Leone of Freedom Beverage.</p><p>“We feel like we should be exploring locations outside of Detroit,” he continued. “We have really growing distribution in the East and going south,” adding that Wilmington is well-placed to serve that market.</p><p>“It has the kind of cultural environment for a brewery to thrive in.”</p><h3>East Coast presence</h3>
<p>On Monday, the mayor and Roger Johnson, a city economic development official, met with a local real estate broker and Atwater's distributor to discuss the possibility of bringing a brewery to Wilmington.</p><p>Although Saffo characterized the meeting as preliminary and fact-finding, he added that “it seems like they're pretty interested.”</p><p>Saffo said they liked the Port City's proximity to central North Carolina in addition to Virginia and South Carolina.</p><p>If Atwater opened up a facility in Wilmington, it would give the craft brewery an East Coast presence in addition to its Detroit operations, Saffo said.</p><p>At the Monday meeting, the brewery's representatives asked if Wilmington would be interested in a brewery.</p><p>“Of course I said yes,” Saffo said.</p><p>He has spoken with the mayor of Asheville about its breweries, which draw people for tastings. Atwater could also open a tap room, where people come to taste beers.</p><p>“I think it's something that would go over real well down here,” Saffo said.</p><p>Atwater's representatives were interested in sites near downtown Wilmington, the mayor said. </p><p>They asked about incentives.</p><p>“We said, 'We don't know if you qualify,' ” Saffo said, adding that it would depend on the company's investment in the area, such as how many jobs it created.</p><h3>'White hot'</h3>
<p>Atwater is planning a Wilmington trip June 6-8.</p><p>“We are going to come down to do a bunch of events and meet people and see some properties,” Schrider said.</p><p>Craft breweries have been “white hot,” said P.J. Doherty of Carolina Commercial Investment Properties, who is working with J. Michael Hutson – owner of J. Michael's Philly Delis – and distributor Leone on a deal to bring Atwater here.</p><p>Though the brewery has major funding, it will be looking for local, small investors, Doherty said.</p><p>Funding will affect the site chosen and whether the facility will be purchased, leased or built, he added.</p><p>“We are talking about what potential incentives may be available,” Doherty said, and the site may play a part in that as well.</p><p>And, Wilmington might have its own beers.</p><p>“Anywhere we were to go,” Schrider said, “we would be looking to make labels for our own market.” </p><p><i></p><p>Julian March: 343-2099</p><p>On <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/news41"><b>Twitter</b></a>: @julian_march</i></p>